I appreciate the input guys! As it would happen though, we've got something that is going to be much cooler. For anyone that has watched a few of the new Losias Live videos, you've already got a taste of things to come... We are building a custom res that will sit on top of the center shroud. Expect an update today!

looking forward too see that custom made res and he update

One of the biggest ongoing, yet unresolved issues with this project, was the placement of a reservoir. It's been debated for much to long, and I wasn't sure we would find a solution we really liked. Well, that has now changed...

Hutch will be getting a custom reservoir that due to it's placement, will be a huge focal point for this case. If every mod has at least one aspect that could be considered it's 'showpiece' item, then this is it.

So, to get ready for the reservoir, it was decided to bring a new look to the top of the case. The cuts should highlight the res, and the fluid flowing through it. I took a piece of transparent sheet of adhesive mailing label paper, and printed out the pattern I wanted.



I peeled the backing off of it, and stuck it in place.



Now, anyone that has followed one of my logs, knows that I love using masking tape to guide my cuts. I find it much easier than following a regular line, and it makes for very accurate filing. With this in mind, I applied tape on the sheet to match the lines.



Finally, after a little time spent with the jigsaw and Dremel, I'm left with the following...



With the cuts out of the way, it's time to start on the reservoir itself, and that will be covered in the next update. Until then, I've got a high tech paint image of the reservoir placement. Who needs CAD? Haha!



One other thing... Most of the work in this post was streamed live as it happened. Thanks to my http://losias.net/losias-live/ page, I can now stream, and archive those streams for later viewing. I'm hoping that this will become a huge feature on this site, although I'm still getting the bugs worked out. Anyone interested in knowing when I stream live should follow me on twitter @craigbru. I always send out notice when I'm live. For those not on twitter, or if you miss the live streaming, the videos are archived on the Live page as well. Until the next update!

nice =D


hey whats that case called again lol i know it. not sure of name =D cheers

Thanks man! The case is a PC Design Labs Qmicra v2.

=D thx any other cases like that ( matx - atx psu ) ow and keep up the great work on this case

Too much computer in too little space. You better have this done by february's netwar. I want to see you there with this thing, and maybe I'll get to meet hutch!



Off topic: Shots of jack in the parking lot again? Actually, I found a rum that's really good and goes down really smooth. Trader Vic's, ever heard?

There are a few other cases that will fit the same components. The Silverstone SG01~4's will, as well as various versions of the Microfly.



Lol, I'm not sure when I'll have it done, but if I do, it should be in Barbados by then. That's where Hutch lives. So, I'm pretty sure you'll not get a chance to meet him...

Sure, a shot or two sounds pretty damn good. I've heard of Trader Vic's, not sure if I've had it or not...

The reservoir... When Hutch and I were originally planning this project, we tried to come up with some sort of showpiece for the case. We wanted something that would to set it apart and make it a little different. For a very long time, what exactly that would be, eluded us. Well, through and idea on Hutch's part, and some revisions on mine, we came up with a plan. The results of that plan are what follows.

In the previous update, you saw how the reservoir will sit in the case. There is exactly 11mm of clearance between the top of the center shroud, and the bottom of the case cover. That's perfect for a 3mm - 5mm - 3mm acrylic sandwich. With that in mind, I made a few careful measurements, got the acrylic marked up. I used a few of the Bitspower fittings sitting in place to make sure I had the proper clearances. As with everything in this case, space is at a minimum, so the planning had to be perfect.



To save time, all 3 layers of acrylic were clamped together and cut out at the same time on the scroll saw. I also used some spray adhesive applied to the paper backing to ensure no movement during cutting. The following is the result.





Before going any further, I figured a test fit was warranted.



Since the test fit went well, it was time to make a cutout in the center (5mm), piece of acrylic. This is where the actual coolant will flow. I peeled apart the pieces, and marked my cuts.



After it was cut, it was simply a matter of gluing the 3 layers together.



So, what's next? I've got to even up and polish the edges, as well as adding two more smaller threaded pieces of acrylic to attach the Bitspower fittings. Once that is done, I've got to make a few small modifications to the case cover to allow the reservoir to fit properly. After that... well, we might be ready for paint!

how much water will it hold?

It will hold about 360ml. Which is actually a surprisingly large amount.

Looking good for sure Craig.

We should probably not tap the exit fitting all the way through so the water doesn't have to 'climb' up the the fitting do exit. With the height of the resevoir, it will probably have to be >90% full to achieve proper outflow so every mm counts.

This is looking very cool!! the top window will definately make that res stand out really different

you don't realize how much you can cram in the qmicra! wish it was'nt so expensive over here i think only one place sells it and its £182.89 thats like $270? seems bit much to me is that the kinda money it sells for over there?

you could cram multi hdds multi card system of power in that

Yeah, it shouldn't be an issue. I'm not actually going to tap the existing holes. Instead I am adding an additional square piece of acrylic that has been tapped, to the bottom of the 'tabs'. That way I'll have plenty of clearance for the fitting threads.



Thanks man! The case sells for about ~$240 over here, but you can get a refurb for $180 now. There's nothing wrong with them, they are just selling off old stock to make way for a new revision.

Yeah, it's nice and roomy for a SFF case.

360mL, yeah that's a bit more than I expected!

Same thing I thought but due to the length and width, it actually holds quite a bit despite the tiny height.

What did you use to glue the res together? I'm going to be building one for my next project and don't fancy it spilling water all over the place.

I'm using Weld-On 3. It's worked well for me, and I know Bill Owen swears by it as well.

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=131

Hmmm any clues where I can get this in the UK? Reads like it can't be shipped overseas

You may have to contact IPS directly. I was having trouble finding a UK distributor...

http://www.ipscorp.com/